A one-stop consultation center for young people, SODA, was opened in Kita-senju, Adachi.

A one-stop consultation center for adolescents and young adults, SODA, was opened in Kita-senju, Adachi, on July 1, as a “Face to face in a crowded city” model in MEICIS (co-Investigator: Dr. Kuniaki Tanaka). There have been no consultation centers as a one-stop operation for young people to visit for their problems, which are often ambiguous and difficult to disclose to relatives. In city areas, an institute for support is usually located in a convenient place that is easy to access, however, further collaboration among related institutes is insufficient and people often face difficulties such as “Where should I consult for this problem (customer)?” or “Which service can I cooperate with (stuff)?” In Australia (“headspace” service) and Singapore (“CHAT” service), where pioneering practices are in progress, a one-stop consultation service center is placed in the community, with bridging of medical, welfare, and education facilities. We propose to develop a suitable service for our area referring to these services and examine the efficacy of our service. SODA is expected to become an appropriate window for community-based care for young people. In SODA, “comprehensive assessment and case management for problems” will be provided for young people by a multi-disciplinary team, in addition to medical support.

SODA is an abbreviation for “Support with One-stop care on Demand for Adolescents and young adults in Adachi.” In Japanese, “soda” means “I know!” and “sodan” means “consultation.” Therefore, please remember SODA with the catch phrase “I know! I’ll consult with SODA! (in Japanese: soda! SODA ni sodan shiyo!).” To succeed, SODA needs close collaboration among each of the related institutions and services. Your kind attention and cooperation will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Legends: SODA staff on the opening day.
A leaflet of SODA.